Rainfall flushes Socorro residents into shelters

Residents from the area surrounding the Rio Vista Community Center were being evacuated after they were affected by the rain that continued to fall Thursday morning. About 10 residents chose to be brought to the center for safety reasons.

In less than an hour, the rainfall Thursday morning gushed like a raging river from Interstate 10 East, through drainage ditches and through her property on Coker Road, ruining everything it touched.

"It just took us by surprise. I was just going to go get my medicines and try to get out but by that time it was too late. The water came up to the hood of our cars, broke my windows and ruined all of my furniture," she said with tears in her eyes.

REPORTER

María Cortés González

Lopez is one of about four families in Socorro that had to be evacuated with help from the Socorro Fire Department and Border Patrol officials. It was a long day for the families and Socorro officials who set up a temporary shelter at the Rio Vista Commuinity Center, 901 N. Rio Vista.

At 9:30 a.m., volunteer Delia Castillo Solis kept busy making burritos at the senior center. Mayor Jesus Ruiz welcomed people and said about 10 to 15 families living in a trailer park on Thunder Road had to be evacuated. Within a short time, the water along Thunder Road had flooded a field, a canal and was being pushed onto Horizon Blvd. which was then closed off.

Josie Vargas, who lives on Thunder Road, arrived at the center with her 4-year-old daughter and her two Chihuahuas, Toy and Chiquita.

"I have never been evacuated. I wanted to stay at my house where it was comfy but I had to go. The water was already up to the first step," she said.

Vargas said she has lived at her trailer since May but is already seeing that she may have to find a new place.

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"This is all new to me but I might have to break the contract. I can't live like this," she said.

At Coker Road and Worsham, the crews struggled to find a path to evaucate the families. A tractor got stuck in the mud and had to be pulled out by another tractor.

"We are trying to clear the road or try to find a way to get to the families. But it's hard because there is like four or five feet of muddy water," said Socorro officer J. Harrelson.

Socorro Fire Chief Mario Murillo said the flooding in Socorro and other lower lying areas was worse this year than the flood of 2006.

"We've been out here since 6 a.m.," he said. "We weren't able to access the vechicles so we had some water rescue personnel access the residents and assess their situation."

Murillo said Coker Road and Worsham street are both prone to flooding and it's in the best interest of the families to evacuate when it rains.

"It's very difficult to hold this sand and the water that is coming from I-10 East, I-10 West," he said.

Lopez was heartbroken, thinking about all her possessions under water.

"We've lived there for more than 20 years. I don't know what we're going to do," she said.

Lopez's sister, Susana Snowden said they had to be evacuated as well in 2006 but this time she knew it was would be worse.

"We got a little bit of water last time but this time, the water came with such force it would move things and break them," she said.

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